Brown tells neighbors of 710, Too bad: Opinion

Living in the shadow of heavy industry, communities near Long Beach’s port and the 710 Freeway have long suffered the environmental consequences. California Sen. Ricardo Lara sought to offset another blow to them with SB811, his bill that passed the legislature earlier this year.

It would have forced the state to consider alternatives in its environmental analysis to a massive expansion 710 expansion plans, one that provides compensation to the community in the form of more trails and an improvements to the Los Angeles River among other things. We endorsed the bill calling it a win for the little guy. But Gov. Jerry Brown disagreed.

Days before the deadline to sign the bill into law, Brown vetoed it.

“I commend the author’s objective...to improve air quality, ensure access to bicycle and pedestrian paths and increase access to public transit. These are goals we share,” he said in a veto statement released on Oct. 11.

But Brown doesn’t want to bow to local community groups, especially those that could usurp a plan and environmental process already underway.

“However, statutorily requiring the project environmental impact report to consider specified mitigation measures that exceed the project’s scope is a precedent I don’t wish to establish.”

“Though this bill was not signed, we have a relationship and a seat at the table that will still enable us to advocate for clean air, safe roads and healthy communities.”

A week before the veto came down the director of Caltrans, Malcom Dougherty toured the area and met with community members. Lara said that “he assured me that the concerns of the community will be heard and Community Alternative 7 will be analyzed.”

Promises aren’t the same as laws but let’s hope for hundreds of residents that they are just as good.